John Kerry on Principles & Values Jr Senator (MA), Democratic nominee for President

Sub-sections under Principles & Values:
• Campaign Themes
• Personal
• Other issues under Principles & Values

American exceptionalism is about what we do, not what we say

Despite what you heard [at the GOP Convention], an exceptional country does care about the rise of the oceans and the future of the planet. That is a responsibility from the Scriptures--and that too is a responsibility of the leader of the free world. The only thing exceptional about today's Republicans is that--almost without exception--they oppose everything that has made America exceptional in the first place. An exceptional nation demands the leadership of an exceptional president. And, my fellow Americans, that president is Barack Obama.

AdWatch 2004: disastrous intro ad as liberal elitist

John Kerry's introductory political ad began with his narration of his biography: he was born on an army base and always felt the call for military service, especially since he had had the privilege of going to Yale. His navy comrades praised his leadership.

Westen judged the Kerry piece to be a disaster: "The fact that he [Kerry] was from Massachusetts was well known; the phrase "Massachusetts liberal" had become so successfully branded by the Republicans in 1988 in the Bush-Dukakis campaign that either word could readily evoke the other. When Kerry added the reference to Yale, he fully activated the disdain and resentment toward Democrats: the 'liberal elite.' Whatever its intended goal, the first paragraph of the Kerry ad served to convey one primary message: This guy isn't like me."

OpEd: Bush & Rove saw flip-flop theme as key opening

Kerry also had weaknesses. He had the process-oriented mindset of a longtime legislator and a voting record that qualified as the most liberal in the Senate. In the fall of 2003, he had voted against an $87 billion bill to fund troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Shortly after he clinched the nomination, my campaign ran an ad highlighting his position. Kerry responded, "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it."

I spoke to Karl the moment I heard the sound bite. "There's our opening," I said. "The American people expect their president to take a clear stand and defend it, especially when it comes to supporting troops in combat." We grabbed the "flip-flop" theme and ran with it for the rest of the campaign.

Attempted to filibuster Sam Alito Supreme Court nomination

Probing for weaknesses, Democrats delayed his hearing until January 9, 2006, and then hammered him for 4 days, one more day than Roberts had suffered.

Alito's answers [during the vetting process and nomination hearings] demonstrated he had a brilliant mind and deep legal wisdom. Alito was never in trouble, given the obvious power of his intellect.

Senator John Kerry phones in a request for a filibuster against Alito from the Swiss Alps. Democrats attempted to filibuster on January 30 but fell short. Among those supporting the filibuster was Barack Obama. The next day Judge Alito was approved by a 58-42 margin, with only four Democrats supporting him.

2004 flawed exit polls showed Kerry tied in Mississippi

After the election, the designer of the exit poll, Warren Mitofsky, frantically examined the results to try to figure out what had gone so horribly wrong. What Mitofsky found was that "the biggest discrepancies between actual precinct votes and the exit pollsters' results occurred in precincts where the exit poll personnel were female graduate students." It was suggested that Republicans might have been less likely than Democrats to answer the pollsters' questions, "especially when the interviewer is a young woman whose appearance signals she is some kind of Bush hater."

OpEd: Dem 527s funded Kerry well; but GOP 527s destroyed him

On the Democratic side, very wealthy donors have heavily used 527s to raise and spend money to register voters, build sophisticated voter analysis and targeting software, and get out the vote. The largest of the Section 527 groups on the Democratic side, America Coming Together (ACT) raised $196 million for voter drives and an ad blitz. Thanks to these donations, Kerry's hapless 2004 campaign was at least financially and technologically competitive (the problem was not money; it was the candidate and his handlers).

OpEd: Swift Boat mess caused by media reporting accusations

"We've put a million stories in our wastebaskets over the years, because they don't check out. Today, we publish, or we broadcast, the mere FACT of the accusation, regardless of whether it's filled with helium. THAT'S what changed in our business. We served as transmission belts for this stuff without ever inquiring into its accuracy. 'How did this happen?' That's the way the news business runs now." For weeks, political news coverage had been dominated by "the mere fact of the accusation."

We need to do more to link good work with faith

BUSH: My faith plays a big part in my life. Prayer and religion sustain me. When I make decisions, I stand on principle, and the principles are derived from who I am. I believe we ought to love our neighbor like we love ourself, as manifested in public policy through the faith-based initiative. I believe that God wants everybody to be free. And that’s been part of my foreign policy. In Afghanistan, I believe that the freedom there is a gift from the Almighty.

KERRY: I went to a church school and I was taught that the two greatest commandments are: Love God, with all your mind, your body and your soul, and love your neighbor as yourself.I think we have a lot more loving of our neighbor to do. We have an unequal school system. And the president and I have a difference of opinion about how we live out our sense of our faith. I talked about it earlier when I talked about faith without works being dead.

Bigotry and hatred should never steal our hope and future

And now it’s our time to ask: What if? What if we find a breakthrough to cure Parkinson’s, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and AIDs? What if we have a president who believes in science, so we can unleash the wonders of discovery like stem cell research to treat illness and save millions of lives? What if we do what adults should do-and make sure all our children are safe in the afternoons after school? What if we have a leadership as good as the American dream - so that bigotry and hatred never again steal the hope and future of any American?

The flag represents who we are and what we believe in

Reject politics that divide people

Pray humbly that we are on God’s side

Jewish grandparents fled anti-Semitic Europe in 1905

Honors the separation of church and state

A: No, I think I agree completely with Dean. I think that we can be people of faith, and we are. But as Kennedy made clear to the nation in Houston in 1960, we cherish as a country the separation of church and state. I think many of us turn to God in our private moments and also when we go to church or mosque or synagogue. But we recognize that the beauty of America respects the divisions.

Persecuted Catholics rely on church-state separation

Need a president who won’t write laws only for contributors

Service is what brought America peace and prosperity

Restore trust and credibility to the White House

Seeing complexities of complex issues is not flip-flopping

Shutting one’s eyes and ears to the truth is not patriotism

America can do better and help is on the way

Ready to lead America: I was there and I led the fight

Campaign built around a call to service

Redeem promise for a better America for our children

I am running for president in no small part to redeem that promise for the America to come. While we are living today in the most extraordinary and powerful nation no earth, I believe not only that America’s best days are still to come but that our best work is yet to be done. We have the capacity to lift the life of our own land as well as lead the world to a safer and more hopeful future. But doing so will require equal measures of strength, vision, and resolve, embodied in a leadership that grasps both the breadth of our potential and the great legacy of our past.

It is time for this country to ask again, why not?

I’m running for presiden because I believe it is time for this country to ask again, why not? Why not in the richest country on the face of the planet, health care for all of our citizens accessible and affordable? Why not early childhood education so that all of our children get the best start in life? Why not invest in our future and our jobs by creating energy independence for America? Why not have a military that is strong but at the same time advances our ideals around the globe? And why not have a president who understands the truth that the flag and patriotism do not belong to any one party, they belong to all Americans?

I believe we can achieve these ideals, and I ask you to join me in the effort to make America safer, stronger and more secure.

My faith affects everything that I do

My mother was the rock of our family

Grandfather committed suicide; John never told he was Jewish

Spent summers on Cape Cod and hometown in Millis MA

Member of Skull & Bones at Yale, like Bush

Like most Yalies so honored, John Kerry was thrilled with getting tapped. Joining Skull and Bones was another step in what he had come to see as a natural progression.

Political heroes: Max Cleland, FDR, JFK, Lincoln

A: Max Cleland is an extraordinary example-he’s a triple amputee and a veteran. He’s an excellent example for us all. Other heroes of mine are: Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, & John Kennedy- they were leaders that took extraordinary risk. That’s what political leadership is supposed to be all about. It’s hard to pick just one-there are a lot of leaders in their communities who are doing amazing work. We can all learn from their examples.

Voted YES on confirming of Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court.

"In the past month, many Senators have asked me about my judicial philosophy. It is simple: fidelity to the law. The task of a judge is not to make the law--it is to apply the law. And it is clear, I believe, that my record in two courts reflects my rigorous commitment to interpreting the Constitution according to its terms; interpreting statutes according to their terms and Congress's intent; and hewing faithfully to precedents established by the Supreme Court and my Circuit Court. In each case I have heard, I have applied the law to the facts at hand."

Voted NO on confirming Samuel Alito as Supreme Court Justice.

Voted NO on confirming John Roberts for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Religious affiliation: Catholic.

The Adherents.com website is an independent project and is not supported by or affiliated with any organization (academic, religious, or otherwise).

What’s an adherent?

Such factors as religious service attendance, belief, practice, familiarity with doctrine, belief in certain creeds, etc., may be important to sociologists, religious leaders, and others. But these are measures of religiosity and are usually not used academically to define a person’s membership in a particular religion. It is important to recognize there are various levels of adherence, or membership within religious traditions or religious bodies. There’s no single definition, and sources of adherent statistics do not always make it clear what definition they are using.

Supports Hyde Park Declaration of "Third Way" centrism.

As New Democrats, we believe in a Third Way that rejects the old left-right debate and affirms America’s basic bargain: opportunity for all, responsibility from all, and community of all.

We believe:
• that government’s proper role in the New Economy is to equip working Americans with new tools for economic success and security.
• in expanding trade and investment because we must be a party of economic progress, not economic reaction.
• that fiscal discipline is fundamental to sustained economic growth as well as responsible government.
• that a progressive tax system is the only fair way to pay for government.
• the Democratic Party’s mission is to expand opportunity, not government.
• that education must be America’s great equalizer, and we will not abandon our public schools or tolerate their failure.
• that all Americans must have access to health insurance.
• in preventing crime and punishing criminals.
• in a new social compact that requires and rewards work in exchange for public assistance and that ensures that no family with a full-time worker will live in poverty.
• that public policies should reinforce marriage, promote family, demand parental responsibility, and discourage out-of-wedlock births.
• in enhancing the role that civic entrepreneurs, voluntary groups, and religious institutions play in tackling America’s social ills.
• in strengthening environmental protection by giving communities the flexibility to tackle new challenges that cannot be solved with top-down mandates.
• government must combat discrimination on the basis of race, creed, gender, or sexual orientation; defend civil liberties; and stay out of our private lives.
• that abortion should be safe, legal, and rare.
• in progressive internationalism -- the bold exercise of US leadership to foster peace, prosperity, and democracy.
• that the US must maintain a strong, technologically superior defense to protect our interests and values. Source: The Hyde Park Declaration 00-DLC0 on Aug 1, 2000

  New Democrat: "Third Way" instead of left-right debate.

  Kerry adopted Third Way principles of the Democratic Leadership Council:

  America and the world have changed dramatically in the closing decades of the 20th century. The industrial order of the 20th century is rapidly yielding to the networked “New Economy” of the 21st century. Our political and governing systems, however, have lagged behind the rest of society in adapting to these seismic shifts. They remain stuck in the left-right debates and the top-down bureaucracies of the industrial past.

  The Democratic Leadership Council, and its affiliated think tank the Progressive Policy Institute, have been catalysts for modernizing politics and government. The core principles and ideas of this “Third Way” movement [began with] Bill Clinton’s Presidential campaign in 1992, Tony Blair’s Labour Party in Britain in 1997, and Gerhard Shroeder’s Social Democrats in Germany in 1998.

  The Third Way philosophy seeks to adapt enduring progressive values to the new challenges of he information age. It rests on three cornerstones:
  1. the idea that government should promote equal opportunity for all while granting special privilege for none;
  2. an ethic of mutual responsibility that equally rejects the politics of entitlement and the politics of social abandonment;
  3. and, a new approach to governing that empowers citizens to act for themselves.
  The Third Way approach to economic opportunity and security stresses technological innovation, competitive enterprise, and education rather than top- down redistribution or laissez faire. On questions of values, it embraces “tolerant traditionalism,” honoring traditional moral and family values while resisting attempts to impose them on others. It favors an enabling rather than a bureaucratic government, expanding choices for citizens, using market means to achieve public ends and encouraging civic and community institutions to play a larger role in public life. The Third Way works to build inclusive, multiethnic societies based on common allegiance to democratic values. Source: Democratic Leadership Council web site 01-DLC1 on Nov 7, 2000

  Member of the Senate New Democrat Coalition.

  Kerry is a member of the Senate New Democrat Coalition:

  The Senate New Democrat Coalition (SNDC) [is analogous to] the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) in the House. Members of both groups are moderate Democrats who advocate a new centrist, progressive approach to governing and who often reach across party lines to get things done.

  Established in 1997, the House New Democrat Coalition (NDC) grew to 64 members between 1998 and 2000, making it the largest caucus in the House. With the success of NDN’s top House candidates on Election Day, the NDC has grown to 72 members in the 107th Congress. The Senate New Democrat Coalition (SNDC), established in 2000, is already 20 members.

  In announcing the establishment of the SNDC in February 2000, Sen. Landrieu stated, “The American people are tired of the same old proposals and are demanding that we work together in a more creative way on the many problems facing our nation. Too often here in Washington, the loudest voices are the ones on the far left and far right. That is why this group was formed, to give voice to those in the sensible center.” The SNDC has already made its voice heard on critical issues ranging from education to trade to health care and, with the Senate evenly divided, the Senate New Dems are increasingly determining the balance of power.

  Source: Senate New Democrat Coalition web site 01-SNDC0 on Jan 1, 2001

  Rated 100% by the AU, indicating support of church-state separation.

  Kerry scores 100% by the AU on church-state separation

  OnTheIssues.org interprets the 2006 AU scores as follows:

  • 0%- 20%: opposition to church-state separation (approx. 232 members)
  • 21%- 79%: mixed record on church-state separation (approx. 79 members)
  • 80%-100%: support of church-state separation (approx. 153 members)
  About the AU (from their website, www.au.org):

  Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) is a religious liberty watchdog group based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom. AU is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to preserving the constitutional principle of church-state separation as the only way to ensure religious freedom for all Americans.

  Americans United is a national organization with members in all 50 states. We are headquartered in Washington, D.C., and led by the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director. AU has more than 75,000 members from all over the country. They include people from all walks of life and from various faith communities, as well as those who profess no particular faith. We are funded by donations from our members and others who support church-state separation. We do not seek, nor would we accept, government funding.

  Source: AU website 06n-AU on Dec 31, 2006

  Member of Democratic Leadership Council.

  Kerry is a member of the Democratic Leadership Council:

  Mission

  The DLC’s mission is to promote public debate within the Democratic Party and the public at large about national and international policy and political issues. Specifically, as the founding organization of the New Democrat movement, the DLC’s goal is to modernize the progressive tradition in American politics for the 21st Century by advancing a set of innovative ideas for governing through a national network of elected officials and community leaders.

  Who We Are

  The Democratic Leadership Council is an idea center, catalyst, and national voice for a reform movement that is reshaping American politics by moving it beyond the old left-right debate. The DLC seeks to define and galvanize popular support for a new public philosophy built on progressive ideals, mainstream values, and innovative, non bureaucratic, market-based solutions. At its heart are three principles: promoting opportunity for all; demanding responsibility from everyone; and fostering a new sense of community.

  Since its inception, the DLC has championed policies from spurring private sector economic growth, fiscal discipline and community policing to work based welfare reform, expanded international trade, and national service. Throughout the 90’s, innovative, New Democrat policies implemented by former DLC Chairman President Bill Clinton have helped produce the longest period of sustained economic growth in our history, the lowest unemployment in a generation, 22 million new jobs, cut the welfare rolls in half, reduced the crime rate for seven straight years, balanced the budget and streamlined the federal bureaucracy to its smallest size since the Kennedy administration.

  Now, the DLC is promoting new ideas -- such as a second generation of environmental protection and new economy and technology development strategies -- that is distinctly different from traditional liberalism and conservatism to build the next generation of America’s leaders.

  Source: Democratic Leadership Council web site 07-DLC1 on Nov 6, 2007

  Fund the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program.

  Kerry co-sponsored the 50 States Commemorative Coin Program Act
  • Mandates redesign of quarter-dollar coins issued during the ten-year period beginning 1999, with the reverse side emblematic of five of the 50 States each year during such period, selected in the order of their ratification of the U.S. Constitution or their admission to the Union.
  • Mandates that the dollar coin shall be golden in color, have a distinctive edge, with tactile and visual features making it readily discernible.
  • Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to place into circulation $1 coins that comply with such mandate upon depletion of the Government's supply of $1 coins bearing the likeness of Susan B. Anthony.
  Corresponding House bill is H.R.2414. Became Public Law No: 105-124. Source: Bill sponsored by 28 Senators and 1 Rep 97-S1228 on Sep 26, 1997

  Click here for 24 older quotations from John Kerry on Principles & Values. Click here for definitions & background information on Principles & Values. Click here for VoteMatch responses by John Kerry. Click here for AmericansElect.org quiz by John Kerry. Click here for MyOcracy.org quiz by John Kerry. Click here for a Wikipedia profile of John Kerry. Click here for a Ballotpedia profile of John Kerry.
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